TO HAVE LOVE AND LOST IS BETTER THAN NONE AT ALL
by Lady Imageenie
Summary: AFTER A SIX YEAR ABSENCE, SAKURA RETURNS TO FIND THAT SASUKE HAS RETURNED. FEELINGS START TO FORM AS TEAM 7 IS AGAIN TOGETHER WHEN THEY WERE ASSIGNED ON A MISSION. PAIRING: KakaSaku,SasuSaku..


Better to have love and lost,

then to have none at all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**A/N**: _This is my first story. The story is about Sakura, who returns to Konoha_

_after a long absence. To her surprise, Sasuke was back. However, feelings_

_start to form as she gets close to her former sensei. _

_(I will have a note after each chapter, just to let you know what inspired _

_me to write each of them. ENJOY!!)

* * *

_

It was a beautiful day in Konoha. Things seem to be going as usual. Kids were playing in their backyards, while their parents were working. Tsunade had taken a brief looked outside, and then she later returned to her paperwork, which had piled upon her desk. She hasn't gotten anything done due to her excitement over her student returning from a very long mission. She had missed the pink-haired girl very deeply. She was like a daughter to her, Tsunade thought. It was only a few minutes before she saw her again. She slowly grew anxious as the clock kept on ticking.

"Tsunade-sensei?" said an apprehensive little voice.

Tsunade recognized that voice anywhere. It was her. She turned around, and tears filled her eyes as she saw her student all grown up. Six years had passed and she wasn't even given the chance to see her student blossom. However, there she was, tear had welled up in her eyes as well.

"Sakura?" said the emotional Hokage.

Without knowing, Sakura had run to her and hugged her. She, too, embraced the young woman that had hugged her. She was somewhat proud of the very woman that was in her very presence. She pulled away, and had a look at her.

"My, my, how you've change." said Tsunade. She regretted not being there as she grew up. However, this occurrence had confirmed every assumption that she made about Sakura. She was a tough girl. She even hung in there when her childhood crush had left. It was somewhat obvious now, that she was able to take care of herself.

She has looked at the time and knew that she had been three minutes late to a very important meeting concerning some events that had occurred in Konoha a few days ago. It caused a lot of damages that needed some fixing up.

"I regret having to leave so early after your arrival, but I have to be somewhere." said Tsunade. Sakura then nodded, and without looking at little girl, she left.

* * *

She had arrived at her apartment, and threw her belongings on the floor. The furniture had dust all over them. It needed some tending to, she thought, but right after she takes a nap. Her trip was long, and although she could have rested, she wanted to get to Konoha right away. She was anxious to see everyone, but she figured, she could always do it tomorrow. The kunoichi was hurriedly jumped on the couch; however, a great cloud of dust had sprung up as she did so. She knew what she had to do. If she was going to get a well-deserved sleep, she might as well clean up the place. She giggled as she thought of her procrastinating habit that had developed over her mission. 

I guess nothing much has changed, she thought, oh well. It had taken a very long two hours for her to straighten everything out. She did have to wash the sheets that had been rotting in her place for the past six years. They had wreaked the smell of a dead rat, and she knew that was going to take yet another hour. She dreaded the fact that she had to do it even though she was in a sleepy mood.

"Ugh!" thought Sakura. "Come on, Haruno, pull it together!" she said to herself. She tried to reassure herself, but the mood had slowly begun to take effect as her eyelids began to grow heavy and she couldn't hold them up herself. She was so tired, she felt like passing out. It wasn't long had the thought entered her mind, that she indeed passed out. So there she was, lying on her bed, completely knocked out.

* * *

Tsunade shook her head as she sat in her office. She hated the fact that she had to send her student out again. Her and her big mouth, she thought. She never should have told the committee that Sakura was back. She sighed and had told her assistant to come. 

"Please see to it that I see Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, immediately." said Tsunade, turning her chair around. "Also, please tell Haruno Sakura that she is needed. She will be at her old apartment. That will be all." Then her assistant turned around and left. Tears strolled down the Hokage's face knowing that she had put Sakura on a mission without even knowing it.

* * *

Naruto and Kakashi had been sparring, when they were approached by a young female. 

"Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, you are all wanted by the Hokage in her office immediately." said the uneasy assistant. She had noticed Sasuke give her a cold look before she approached to announce Tsunade's message. As she turn and was about to leave, she saw that Sasuke was still giving her that cold stare, that send a shivering feeling down her spine.

"I wonder what the Hokage wants?" asked Naruto willingly.

"Well, whatever it is, we'll have to wait until we get to her office." said Kakashi.

Sasuke stood up and slowly walked away. He was easily annoyed by Naruto, and it seems that the question had definitely set him off. He wasn't far away when Naruto had caught up with him. Kakashi had his hands in his pockets, slowly taking his time, trailing behind the two young men. They somewhat looked like Kakashi. Kakashi looked young even though he was fourteen years their seniors. A giggle managed to escape as he observed the two young men walking in front of them. Naruto had looked back, as Sasuke kept on walking.

"What is it, Kakashi?" Naruto asked. He was curious as to why Kakashi had giggled.

"Nothing." said Kakashi. He then looked away as if he did nothing.

* * *

Sakura woke up to someone pounding at the front door. She had gotten up with a severe headache. She opened the door to see a young female standing there. She seemed furious. It was obvious how impatient she was. 

"You are needed at the Hokage's office, IMMEDIATELY!" said the livid assistant.

"Well did she say why?" Sakura had asked intensively. She was curious to know as to what was the emergency.

"She just said that you have to be there." and with those words, the assistant quickly turned around and left.

Oh the nerve of the woman, screaming at her like that, Sakura had thought. She had no right to wake me up from a good sleep. She thought it must have been an emergency or maybe Tsunade wanted to catch up after all these years. She was twenty-two, and there was no way was she getting any younger. She managed to chuckle after having just thought that. She quickly went and took a shower and had put on a red shirt that perfectly shaped out her beautiful figure and short black shorts, which had shown her beautiful, cream-like legs. She had put on her sandals, and left, locking the door behind her. As she walked down the streets on Konoha, she couldn't help but notice the damages that some buildings had endured. It was pity that she couldn't have been here earlier.

* * *

Tsunade had sat quietly in her office when she was bothered by the opening her door. She looked around and saw the three of the four people she had asked her assistant to summon. 

"Hey there, Hokage, how ya doin?" inquired Naruto as he took a seat in her office. He was later followed by Sasuke and Kakashi. Both had no form of expression whatsoever. You would think Sasuke changed after coming back, thought Tsunade sarcastically.

"Why I am fine, Naruto, thank you for your concern." said Tsunade. "There are matters that have been brought to my attention, and you four are to be sent on a mission as of tomorrow morning-". She meant to continue when she was interrupted by Sasuke.

"The four of us?" Sasuke asked. He didn't know if she could still count depending on her age or maybe there was an added 'fifth wheel'.

"Hope I'm not late." Sakura stated as she closed the door, she had not notice the people in the room. She turned to see Tsunade, but was surprised to see her former teammates and former sensei standing there, in the same room with her. She had frozen. A look of revelation had replaced her facial expression. Kakashi had stood still, moving from his leaning position on the wall, Sasuke's face was filled with disbelief, and Naruto's jaw had dropped in awe of the sight that was standing in front of him. Could it be really her? Was it just a figment of their imagination? How can this be? When did she get back? Questions filled their heads as they tried to cope with what they were seeing. Skepticism had also filled Sakura's mind.

* * *

- 

**A/N**: Okay, okay.. you must think I'm some kind of a buzzkill.. but what was the point of adding some needed adventure when you don't have to mystery to go with it.

So come on.. share your thoughts.. GOOD or BAD.. I'm a good listener and a learner.. LoL.. There will also be lemon is an upcoming chapter.. but I'm not going to spoil the surprise..

Thanks.. Love you all for reading.. 


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